Gabriele Anderson, Erin Donahue in the early lead..photo by PhotoRun.net.

Gabriele Anderson took the lead, with Erin Donahue right in tow, hitting the400 meters in 69.9, as Rowbury, Flanagan, Wurth, Pierce, Bowman and Mortimerwere in line. The pack was very, very tight. The 800 meters was hit in 2:22.2, and this was obviously becoming a kickers race, and the traffic on the track was tight.

About 900 meters into the race, the field packed like sardines in a tin can,Shalane Flanagan fell down on the inside of the track and remarkably, rushedback up, trying to catch the field. She would finish 11th in 4:19.05.

Erin Donahue took over the lead and started to push just about the 1,000meters, with Wurth, Roxbury, Pierce, Mortimer, and Bowman all in line.Erin Donahue, now coached by Frank Gagliano, former Georgetown,Enclave and Oregon TC coach, has been racing very well this spring.

Donahue starts pushing and the field starts hurting. The 1,100 meters waspassed in 3:14.01, with Rowbury, Pierce, Wurth, all in a row after Donahue.

Anna Pierce has the strength of a steeplechaser and the leg speed of a400 meter runner. She is dangerous anytime she is close to the finish line,and again, she showed her talent.

While it looked like Shannon Rowbury was ready to fly, it was Anna Pierce doing the flying. Really motoring over the last 200 meters, Pierce fought Donahue, inch for inch, until Anna Pierce's 59.24 last lap finally caught Erin Donahue, and Pierce won, 4;13.65 to Donahue's 4:13.87.Shannon Rowbury was third in 4:14.41, Christin Wurth was fourth in 4:15.33and Sarah Bowman was fifth in 4:16.50.

Erin Donahue ran the race she had to run, and only one person beat her, Anna Pierce. Donahue plays the cards she is dealt, and so does Anna Pierce. Today, it was Anna'sday!

Bio: Larry Eder has had a 44 year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub 4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Track & Field to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts and RunBlogRun.
Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says:
"I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself."